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Russian aircraft flies over Canadian warship

OTTAWA—A Russian aircraft flew low near a Canadian warship sailing in the Black Sea Sunday, a move condemned as “provocative” by Canada’s defence minister.

The frigate HMCS Toronto was sailing in the Black Sea, home to a large Russian naval fleet, when it was approached by three Russian aircraft early Sunday morning.

The aircraft circled the ship, flying about 300 metres above the water and about 500 metres away the vessel, according to a defence department source.

“While the Russian military aircraft that circled the HMCS Toronto did not in any way pose a threat to the Canadian ship, their actions were unnecessarily provocative and risk escalating tensions even further,” Defence Minister Rob Nicholson said in a statement Monday.

The frigate is taking part in a military exercise known as Sea Breeze, involving 12 ships in all from Ukraine, the United States, Romania and Turkey.

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The exercise has taken on extra sensitivity because of ongoing tensions between the West and Moscow over Russia’s military actions against Ukraine.

Canada is participating in NATO-led missions to boost military presence in Eastern Europe as a deterrent to further Russian military moves. As part of that, the HMCS Toronto has been on patrol in the Mediterranean Sea and this week will be in the Black Sea for several days. Nicholson said the exercise is meant to send a signal to Moscow.

“Canada and its allies are taking part in reassurance measures as a direct result of the Putin regime’s military aggression and invasion of Ukraine,” Nicholson said.

“Canada will continue to work with our NATO allies to build military interoperability and partnerships in this part of the world. The message that Canada is sending, along with the rest of our NATO allies, is that Russia’s reckless actions must stop,” Nicholson said.

As well, ports in the Black Sea are home to Russian navy ships and Moscow views operations by Western navies with a suspicious eye.

A Canadian defence official acknowledged that the exercise this week is part of a “cat-and-mouse” game with the Russians.

“We’re in the Black Sea and that is generally seen as provocative. They are telling us they know we are there and we are asserting our presence,” said the official, who spoke on background.

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Meanwhile, in Ottawa, Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird said that Ottawa remains “deeply skeptical” that Russia will honour a ceasefire in Ukraine and remains ready to slap additional sanctions to punish further aggression.

“Obviously, we want to see a political solution to the crisis in Ukraine. We remain deeply skeptical of the Russian Federation’s willingness to have a major de-escalation in this crisis,” Baird said Monday.

“But let’s give a political solution a chance. Obviously, if more provocation and more negative aspects emerge, we would advocate strongly for additional measures,” Baird said.

He slammed what he deemed Russia’s “creeping invasion” of Ukraine, which he said is threatening peace and prosperity in Europe.

“Canada, of course, hopes that the latest ceasefire can hold firm, but after so much dishonesty and deception from the Russia Federation, we will judge them by their actions, not their words,” Baird said.

Baird spoke to reporters after discussions with Catherine Ashton, the European Union’s high representative of foreign affairs and security policy and vice-president of the European Commission.

Both representatives said they were united in their view that Ukraine must stand as an independent nation, free from outside interference.

Canada has imposed a series of sanctions on Russian and Ukrainian politicians that are punishment for Russia’s annexation of Crimea and ongoing efforts to destabilize Ukraine.

On Friday, a ceasefire took effect to halt hostilities in eastern Ukraine between Ukrainian fighters and separatist rebels who have been backed by Russian supplies and soldiers. NATO said last week at least 2,000 Russian soldiers were in Ukraine.

Ashton said that the European Union was monitoring the ceasefire “hour by hour” as work continued in Brussels, home to the EU government, on further sanctions that could be imposed.

“We all have to watch very carefully and be certain of what developments are taking place,” Ashton said.

“I want to say very carefully that we want this ceasefire to be strong and solid and continue,” Ashton said.

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